Sharks fire Peter DeBoer; Bob Boughner named interim coach

1of2GLENDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 30: Head coach Peter DeBoer of the San Jose Sharks looks on from the bench during second period action of the NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on November 30, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images)Photo: Norm Hall / NHLI via Getty Images

2of2Peter DeBoerPhoto: Michael Owen Baker / Associated Press

With two months of disappointment behind them and a critical long homestand up next, the Sharks fired head coach Peter DeBoer and three others Wednesday.

DeBoer’s assistants — Steve Spott, Dave Barr and goalie coach Johan Hedberg — also were fired. All had been part of DeBoer coaching staffs, whether in New Jersey, Florida or San Jose.

Wilson released a statement and was not made available to comment.

“When you have had a level of past success, change is never easy, but we feel this team is capable of much more than we have shown thus far and that a new voice is needed,” he said. “As a team and as individuals, our play has not met expectations this year and our level of consistency has not been where it needs to be. This group of individuals who will lead our team moving forward are very familiar with our players, and we think this change can provide our group with a fresh start.

“Under the leadership of Pete, along with Steve, Dave and Johan, our franchise accomplished some great things, culminating in reaching the 2016 Stanley Cup Final. We want to thank them for their contributions to our organization’s success over the last four years.”

Sixth in the Pacific Division and five points out of a playoff spot, the Sharks take a five-game winless streak (0-4-1) and 15-16-2 record into Thursday’s opener of a seven-game homestand at SAP Center against the New York Rangers.

The timing of the move is no surprise, given the opportunity for practice time in familiar surroundings. The move, otherwise, can be questioned considering the success the team enjoyed under DeBoer.

Like he did with New Jersey in 2011-12, DeBoer’s first season behind the Sharks’ bench in 2016 ended with a loss in the Stanley Cup Finals. San Jose was one of only four teams to reach the postseason each of the past four years. DeBoer was 198-129-34 in the regular season, and guided the Sharks to a league second-best 60 playoff games in his tenure.

DeBoer didn’t have near the firepower at the start of the season that he took to Game 6 of the third round last spring before losing the West finals to the eventual Cup champ Blues.

Forwards Joe Pavelski, Joonas Donskoi and Guy Nyquist all departed via free agency as the Sharks opted instead to put all their eggs in the basket of an eight-year signing of Erik Karlsson to the richest contract for a defenseman in league history.

DeBoer in San Jose

Season

Rec.

Season outcome

2015-16

46-30-6

Lost Stanley Cup Finals

2016-17

46-29-7

Lost in 1st round

2017-18

45-27-10

Lost in 2nd round

2018-19

46-27-9

Lost conference final

2019-20

15-16-2

6th in Pacific when fired

Sharks on Thursday

Who: N.Y. Rangers (15-12-3) at Sharks (15-16-2)

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: SAP Center

TV/Radio: NBCSCA/98.5

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San Jose was confident it could backfill the offense lost with young players including Timo Meier, Tomas Hertl and Kevin Labanc taking another step in development along with a group of promising prospects earning jobs in camp.

That hasn’t unfolded.

In addition, the Sharks continue to get subpar goaltending as starter Martin Jones and Aaron Dell are, like last season, struggling with .891 and .893 save percentages, respectively.

Defenseman Brent Burns is scoreless in nine games — his longest drought in 13 seasons. Hertl has no goals and three assists in seven games after returning from four missed with injury. Top goal-scorer Evander Kane has one goal and six points in 13 games. Captain Logan Couture has one goal in five and is scoreless in his past three. Patrick Marleau is scoreless in six, and Joe Thornton has one point in the same time, and no goals since March 18 — a span of 43 games.

Ross covered the San Jose Sharks and the National Hockey League since the team's inception going back to the Cow Palace days starting in 1991-92. He was the Sharks' traveling beat writer and general assignment reporter/editor first for the San Francisco Examiner, then the San Francisco Chronicle, through 2007. He spent four years as NHL Editor/Writer with Yahoo! Sports as part of a 36-year print and on-line sports journalism career that began in 1978. Away from work, Ross is heavily involved in youth baseball as a manager, coach and administrator for 20-plus years.